Technology

Keep Inc. Announces 2024 Interim Results

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2024

BEIJING, Aug. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Keep Inc. (“Keep” or the “Company”), the largest online fitness platform in China, today announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended June 30, 2024.

2024 Interim Results Highlights

Total revenues were RMB1,037.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, a 5.4% increase from RMB984.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023.Gross profit was RMB477.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, a 12.7% increase from RMB423.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023.Gross profit margin was 46.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared to 43.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.Adjusted net loss (non-IFRS measure) was RMB160.7 million, compared to RMB223.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023.Adjusted net loss margin narrowed to 15.5% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, compared with 22.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2023.

2024 Interim Operational Highlights

Six months ended June 30,

2024

2023

Average monthly active users (“MAU(s)”) (in thousands)

29,660

29,549

Average monthly revenues per MAU (in RMB)

5.8

5.6

Average monthly subscribing members (in thousands)

3,282

3,017

Membership penetration rate

11.1 %

10.2 %

Mr. Wang Ning, Chief Executive Officer of Keep Inc., commented, “We are pleased of our solid performance for the first half of 2024, which is a result of our proactive efforts in propelling our corporate strategies and tactics to meet the various needs of our consumers and communities through the new release of App 8.0 version, expanding portfolio of services and benefits, integrating marketing campaign across online fitness services, smart fitness devices and complementary products, as well as enhancing user trust and consumer sentiment in the Keep brand. We are on track to healthy recovery and are committed to sustaining high-quality development.

Total revenues reached RMB1,037 million, up 5.4% year-over-year, driven by the increased resilience and scale of our monetization initiatives across self-branded fitness products, online membership subscriptions, and advertising sales. By prudently reducing costs and increasing efficiency, our gross profit margin expanded to 46.0% while adjusted net loss considerably narrowed by 28.0% year-over-year. More importantly, we continue to see elevated user experience and activity level as our membership penetration rate increased to 11.1% in the first half of 2024, up from 10.2% in the first half of 2023. Looking ahead, we will continue to implement our strategic priorities of enhancing overall offerings of online content, outdoor categories, AI-centric solution, as well as evaluating potential synergistic cooperation throughout our value chain, driving sustained momentum across our ecosystem for our long-term growth.”

2024 Interim Financial Results

Revenues

Total revenues were RMB1,037.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 5.4% increase from RMB984.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, due primarily to increased revenues from self-branded fitness products and advertising and others.

Revenues from self-branded fitness products were RMB501.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 7.5% increase from RMB466.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, mainly attributable to the increase in wholesale channels sales, as well as the increased sales of fitness gear and apparel products.

Revenues from online membership and paid content were RMB437.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 2.6% decrease from RMB448.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to a decrease in revenues from virtual sports events, which was partially offset by the increased revenues from online membership.

Revenues from advertising and others were RMB98.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a substantial increase of 42.4% from RMB69.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily attributable to online to offline integrated advertising services.

Cost of revenues

Cost of revenues was RMB560.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a decrease of 0.2% from RMB561.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primary due to a decrease in cost of online membership and paid content, which was partially offset by an increase in cost of advertising and others.

Cost of self-branded fitness products was RMB343.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 2.1% increase from RMB336.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, mainly attributable to an increase in sales of self-branded fitness products. Due to economies of scale, the growth rate of costs is lower than the growth rate of revenues.

Cost of online membership and paid content was RMB140.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 21.8% decrease from RMB179.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The decrease was mainly attributable to decreases of (i) RMB14.4 million in costs associated with virtual sports events; (ii) RMB9.8 million in content related costs as the Company optimized IP costs associated with third party influencer partnerships; and (iii) RMB5.4 million in employee benefit costs (including related share-based compensation expenses) mainly due to the fluctuation of share-based compensation expenses.

Cost of advertising and others was RMB76.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 68.5% increase from RMB45.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, mainly attributable to an increase of RMB23.9 million in advertising production costs associated with the expanded advertising services the Company offers and relatively higher cost of certain offline advertising activities.

Gross profit and gross profit margin

Gross profit was RMB477.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 12.7% increase from RMB423.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023.

Gross profit margin was 46.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 3.0 percentage points increase from 43.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2023, mainly attributable to an increase in gross profit margin from online membership and paid content and self-branded fitness products.

Gross profit of self-branded fitness products increased by 21.6% from RMB130.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to RMB158.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, mainly attributable to the increase in the sales of self-branded fitness products and improvement in gross profit margin.

Gross profit of online membership and paid content increased by 10.1% from RMB269.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to RMB296.6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, as the Company generated higher sales from membership subscription with optimized content related cost.

Gross profit of advertising and others decreased by 6.7% from RMB24.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023 to RMB22.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, primarily due to the relatively higher cost of certain offline advertising activities.

Fulfillment expenses

Fulfillment expenses were RMB61.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 25.8% decrease from RMB83.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to optimized warehousing, packaging and delivery expenses.

Selling and marketing expenses

Selling and marketing expenses were RMB323.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 25.8% increase from RMB257.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily due to increase in promotional and advertising expenses associated with more marketing activities for brand promotion and user acquisition.

Administrative expenses

Administrative expenses were RMB90.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 19.3% decrease from RMB112.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily attributable to decreases of (i) RMB14.6 million in expected credit loss in accounts receivables because the Company optimized the receivables management measures; and (ii) RMB7.2 million in administrative personnel costs (including related share-based compensation expenses), mainly due to the fluctuation of share-based compensation expenses.

Research and development expenses

Research and development expenses were RMB195.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2024, representing a 19.6% decrease from RMB243.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023, primarily attributable to decreases of (i) RMB39.6 million in research and development personnel costs (including related share-based compensation expenses); (ii) RMB4.6 million in cloud computing service fees; and (iii) RMB2.1 million in outsourcing and other labor costs.

Fair value changes of convertible redeemable preferred shares

Fair value changes of convertible redeemable preferred shares was RMB1.4 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2023. The change in the fair value of convertible redeemable preferred shares was primarily attributable to the changes in the valuation of the Company. The Company did not record any further fair value changes of the convertible redeemable preferred shares following the listing of the shares of the Company on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange (the “Listing”) as preferred shares liabilities were redesignated and reclassified from liabilities to equity after automatically converting into ordinary shares upon the Listing.

(Loss)/profit

Net loss was RMB163.4 million for the six months ended 2024, compared with a net profit of RMB1.2 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2023. Net profit for the six months ended June 30, 2023 was primarily due to fair value changes of convertible redeemable preferred shares.

Adjusted net loss (non-IFRS measure)

Adjusted net loss (non-IFRS measure) was RMB160.7 million for the six months ended 2024, compared to RMB223.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2023.

Liquidity and capital resource

We had cash and cash equivalents of RMB1.4 billion as of June 30, 2024, as compared to RMB1.6 billion as of December 31, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to the use of cash for operating and financing activities. Most of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents were denominated in Renminbi while most of the time deposits were denominated in U.S. dollars.

Share repurchase programs

Under the HK$16 million and HK$100 million Share Repurchase Programs announced on February 14, 2024 and May 20, 2024, respectively, as of June 30, 2024, the Company repurchased a total of 5,256,200 shares of the Company on the Stock Exchange at the aggregate consideration of HK$35.49 million before expenses.

Outlook

2024 will mark a year of comprehensive upgrades for Keep platform with continued execution of the strategies. The Company will continue to promote synchronized improvements in scale and efficiency. While overall consumer confidence is gradually recovering, the Company recognizes that both opportunities and challenges exist. Keep will continue to invest in several key areas: (i) enhance overall online offerings; (ii) further explore the outdoor category by enriching member privileges, leveraging the value of fitness data, and actively expanding its offline presence; (iii) expand AI-driven overseas fitness app portfolio to deliver innovative fitness experiences; and (iv) promote the growth of self-branded fitness products. In addition, Keep will continue to actively seek collaboration opportunities along the industry chain to increase commercial value across our ecosystem, ensuring sustainable long-term development.

Conference Call

The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 p.m. Beijing Time on August 23, 2024.

Participants who wish to join the call should follow the following method:

1) Please click on the call link and complete the online registration form. Kindly register at least one working day before the event.
https://register.vevent.com/register/BI0e1af0f1c86f4526ac796550f5b10a03

2) Upon registering you will receive the dial-in info and a unique PIN to join the call as well as an email confirmation with the details.

3) Select a method for joining the call:

Dial-In: A dial in number and unique PIN are displayed to connect directly from your phone.Call Me: Enter your phone number and click “Call Me” for an immediate callback from the system. The call will come from a US number, and this function is only applicable for participants outside China.

4) Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the personal PIN to join the call.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at https://ir.keep.com/en/news_events.php.

About Keep Inc.

Keep Inc. (HKEX Stock Code: 3650) is the largest online fitness platform in China in terms of MAUs and number of workout sessions completed by users in 2022, according to CIC. Keep offers a comprehensive fitness solution to help users achieve their fitness goals. On the Keep platform, extensive, professional, and premium fitness content with diverse activities and services are offered to encourage users to engage in daily exercise. Keep platform leverages AI technology to provide personalized workout programs incorporating recorded courses and interactive live streaming classes, dynamically customized to each user’s athletic levels, fitness goals, daily workout patterns and diet. Keep’s services seamlessly connect the physical and digital realms, spanning smart devices, workout equipment, athletic apparel and food to provide an immersive fitness experience.

For more information on Keep Inc., visit https://keep.com/.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the business outlook, estimates of financial performance, forecast business plans and growth strategies of the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are stated herein on the basis of the outlook at the time of this press release. They are based on certain expectations, assumptions and premises, some of which are subjective or beyond our control. These forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and may not be realised in the future. Underlying these forward-looking statements are a lot of risks and uncertainties. In light of the risks and uncertainties, the inclusion of forward-looking statements in this press release should not be regarded as representations by the board of directors of the Company or the Company that the plans and objectives will be achieved, and investors should not place undue reliance on such statements.

Non-IFRS Measures

To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are presented in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards as issued by the IASB, we also use adjusted net loss as an additional financial measure, which is not required by, or presented in accordance with, IFRS Accounting Standards.

The Company’s management believe adjusted net loss provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our consolidated results of operations in the same manner as they help our management. However, our presentation of adjusted net loss may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. The use of adjusted net loss has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider it in isolation from, or as a substitute for an analysis of, our results of operations or financial condition as reported under IFRS Accounting Standards.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS

Six months ended June 30,

2024

2023

RMB’000

(Unaudited)

Revenues

1,037,343

984,656

Cost of revenues

(560,021)

(560,985)

Gross profit

477,322

423,671

Fulfillment expenses

(61,921)

(83,431)

Selling and marketing expenses

(323,412)

(257,103)

Administrative expenses

(90,455)

(112,044)

Research and development expenses

(195,690)

(243,371)

Other income

3,809

10,312

Other gains, net

2,531

3,320

Operating loss

(187,816)

(258,646)

Finance income

25,834

24,755

Finance expenses

(1,371)

(3,246)

Finance income, net

24,463

21,509

Fair value changes of convertible redeemable
preferred shares

–

1,432,261

(Loss)/profit before income tax

(163,353)

1,195,124

Income tax expense

–

(Loss)/profit for the period

(163,353)

1,195,124

(Loss)/earnings per share (expressed in RMB per
share)

Basic

(0.35)

8.64

Diluted

(0.35)

(0.52)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

As at

June 30,

As at

December 31,

2024

2023

RMB’000

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

ASSETS

Non-current assets

Property and equipment

13,076

17,982

Right-of-use assets

44,503

62,256

Intangible assets

9,869

11,561

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

52,167

13,519

Other non-current assets

55,312

51,994

174,927

157,312

Current assets

Inventories

182,057

121,380

Accounts and notes receivables

264,636

228,279

Prepayments and other current assets

202,316

174,842

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

69,111

65,199

Short-term time deposits

56,760

88,960

Cash and cash equivalents

1,376,029

1,612,769

2,150,909

2,291,429

Total assets

2,325,836

2,448,741

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (CONTINUED)

As at

June 30,

As at

December 31,

2024

2023

RMB’000

(Unaudited)

(Audited)

EQUITY

Share capital

168

Other reserves

8,170,955

8,187,464

Accumulated losses

(6,477,836)

(6,314,483)

Total equity

1,693,287

1,873,149

LIABILITIES

Non-current liabilities

Lease liabilities

14,940

32,453

Other non-current liabilities

5,505

10,968

20,445

43,421

Current liabilities

Accounts payables

233,674

157,417

Accrued expenses

209,285

177,355

Other current liabilities

40,144

57,838

Contract liabilities

97,633

93,280

Borrowings

–

10,009

Lease liabilities

31,368

36,272

612,104

532,171

Total liabilities

632,549

575,592

Total equity and liabilities

2,325,836

2,448,741

The following table reconciles the adjusted net loss for the periods presented to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS Accounting Standards, which is (loss)/profit for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023:

For the six months ended June 30,

2024

2023

RMB’000

(Unaudited)

Reconciliation of (loss)/profit to adjusted net loss

(Non-IFRS measure):

(Loss)/profit for the period

(163,353)

1,195,124

Adjustments for:

Share-based payment expenses

2,663

13,994

Fair value changes of convertible redeemable
preferred shares

–

(1,432,261)

Adjusted net loss for the period

(Non-IFRS measure)

(160,690)

(223,143)

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/keep-inc-announces-2024-interim-results-302229389.html

SOURCE Keep Inc.

Technology

Kuaishou Technology to Report 2026 First Quarter Financial Results on May 27, 2026

Published

17 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

HONG KONG, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kuaishou Technology (“Kuaishou” or the “Company”; HKD Counter Stock Code: 01024 / RMB Counter Stock Code: 81024), a leading content community and social platform, today announced that it will report its unaudited consolidated first quarterly results for the three months ended March 31, 2026, after the Hong Kong market closes on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

The Company’s management will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM Beijing Time (7:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time) to discuss the results.

Participants are required to pre-register for the conference call at:

Chinese Line (Mandarin):
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10054245-xi6ksd.html

English Simultaneous Interpretation Line (listen-only mode):
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10054246-wl3yqp.html

Participants can choose between the Chinese and English simultaneous interpretation options for pre-registration above. Please note that the English simultaneous interpretation option will be in listen-only mode. Upon registration, participants will receive an email containing conference call dial-in details, event passcode, and a unique registrant ID. This information will allow you to gain immediate access to the call. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

Additionally, live, and archived webcasts of the conference call, for both Chinese and English simultaneous interpretation, will be available on the Company’s investor relations website at https://ir.kuaishou.com.

Replays of the conference call will be available until June 3, 2026 via the following dial-in details:

Dial-in Numbers

Mainland China:

400 1209 216

Hong Kong:

800 930 639

US/Canada:

1855 883 1031

Chinese conference ID:

10054245

English simultaneous interpretation conference ID:

10054246

About Kuaishou

Kuaishou is a leading content community and social platform in China and globally, committed to becoming the most customer-obsessed company in the world. Kuaishou uses its technological backbone, powered by cutting-edge AI technology, to continuously drive innovation and product enhancements that enrich its service offerings and application scenarios, creating exceptional customer value. Through short videos and live streams on Kuaishou’s platform, users can share their lives, discover goods and services they need and showcase their talent. By partnering closely with content creators and businesses, Kuaishou provides technologies, products, and services that cater to diverse user needs across a broad spectrum of entertainment, online marketing services, e-commerce, local services, gaming, and much more. For more information, please visit https://ir.kuaishou.com.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Kuaishou Technology
Investor Relations
Email: ir@kuaishou.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kuaishou-technology-to-report-2026-first-quarter-financial-results-on-may-27-2026-302763955.html

SOURCE Kuaishou Technology

Technology

Mox Breaks Even in Q1 2026 amid Strengthening Profitability Outlook, Launches Mox+ Wealth Solutions and Mox Invest Upgrades

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

Bringing Wealth Within Reach of all in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mox Bank Limited (“Mox” or “the Bank”), on the back of delivering a financial breakeven quarter for Q1 2026, today announced the launch of Mox+. This wealth solution is engineered for Hong Kong’s young professionals and emerging affluent and will be a driver of sustainable profitability for the Bank. Mox+ combines wealth capabilities with curated lifestyle benefits, marking Mox’s evolution from everyday banking to a comprehensive wealth partnership.

The financial achievement was driven by robust momentum across all business lines and achieving a significant milestone demonstrates the success of the accessible business model which after 5 years is now used and valued by over 750,000 customers in Hong Kong.

Barbaros Uygun, CEO of Mox, said, “Achieving financial breakeven for the first quarter of 2026 on the back of a strong 2025 set of results, shows our direction of travel. We have the momentum to drive positive change, providing wealth opportunities to all in Hong Kong and do so in a profitable manner. Our client-centric business model is proving that it is the right one for sustainable profitability.

Our digital wealth management platform serves as a trusted partner for our over 750,000 customers at every stage of life, empowering them to manage their finances with confidence and unlock new possibilities. We are entering a new chapter of growth as we continue to expand our product portfolio and wealth management offerings, with the launch of Mox+ being one such initiative.”

He continued, “To support this evolution, we are evolving into an AI-native bank, doubling our operational capacity through a strategic human-bot partnership, equipping every staff member with a personalised AI assistant to deliver even greater service and efficiency.”

Mox+ members enjoy preferential fees and charges on Mox Invest and preferential pricing on foreign exchange, enhanced deposit rates (3.5% p.a. up to HKD5 million), as well as priority customer support and early access to experiences and new products. These benefits can be gained simply by maintaining an average daily balance of HKD 600,000 or above across all deposits and investments which will lead to automatic qualification for Mox+ for the following month. The programme integrates financial advantages with lifestyle benefits—including curated dining rebates, free hotel stays, Starbucks coffee vouchers, health benefits and exclusive member experiences—reflecting Mox’s belief that wealth building should be both strategic and rewarding.

Jayant Bhatia, Chief Business Officer of Mox, commented, “At Mox, we are dedicated to establishing the financial well-being of Hongkongers. Designed and tailored for Hong Kong’s young professionals and emerging affluent segment, which is underserved in Hong Kong, Mox+ offers solutions for daily savings and preferential wealth management service fees for long-term wealth creation as well as rewarding lifestyle benefits. This is strategically significant as one of our key initiatives to drive business growth and make Wealth Within Reach for Hongkongers.”

Throughout 2025, Mox has already strengthened its product portfolio with new solutions in Mox Invest. The Mox Invest platform saw trading volumes increasing to 2.4 times and assets under management (AUM) growing to 2.6 times that of last year. More than 10% of Mox customers have opened a Mox Invest account, reflecting strong demand for its wealth solutions driven by new products and services. In 2026, we will continue our momentum in launching new and innovative products and services and are already scaling up to serve the next generation of wealth builders in Hong Kong. Having already recently launched a crypto trading service, Mox Invest is set to introduce an IPO subscription service later this year.

The Bank has clear reasons for continuing to develop wealth management products. The “Wealth Behaviours: Insights into how individuals are saving and investing” survey conducted by Mox in collaboration with Ipsos revealed that Hongkongers continue to take a conservative approach to investing, with 63% of their liquid assets kept in cash and deposits – a trend that contributes to “cash drag” and limits potential wealth growth. More than two-thirds of respondents indicated they require an average of 5.6 months to save up to their desired investment threshold and typically delay investing their savings by a further 2.75 months on average, resulting in missed opportunities for long-term wealth accumulation[1]. This survey will continue as an ongoing research initiative to deepen our understanding of Hongkonger’s wealth management behaviours and enable the Bank to develop tailored solutions that puts wealth within reach.

After Mox was amongst the first wave of banks in Asia to offer a crypto trading service, Mox Invest now further offers One Click Investments (a simplified process for buying equities based on themes such as AI, technology, amongst others), Trading Signals, and gives customers access to professional fund strategies including Signature CIO funds developed in partnership between Standard Chartered Bank CIO office and Amundi. The Signature CIO funds offer four different type of funds based on individuals’ risk appetite which could be Conservative, Income, Balanced or Growth. Customers also have options amongst a wide range of funds offered by other world-class fund houses.

A Track Record of Rapid Scale and Adoption in the Last 5 Years

Since its launch in September 2020, Mox has brought to the market more than 15 market-first products or services and achieved significant scale with over 750,000 customers, reflecting the trust and growing preference of Hong Kong consumers for a seamless digital banking experience. To date, Mox customers have driven a cumulative spend of HKD70 billion, supported by a robust volume of 176 million card transactions and approximately 2 billion Asia Miles earned through Mox Card and other banking services. Its commitment to delivering tangible value to customers is further evidenced by the HKD2 billion distributed in cash rewards.

Beyond daily spending, Mox has become central to its customers’ financial lives, facilitating approximately 50 million outward FPS transfers and more than 5 million bill payments. As a preferred companion for travelers, the Mox Card has been used over 31 million times in overseas transactions, contributing to a total of 250 million app engagements as we continue to redefine digital banking for the Hong Kong community.

To learn more about Mox, please visit: mox.com.

About Mox Bank Limited (“Mox”)
Mox is a pioneering digital bank licensed in Hong Kong, and a registered institution (CE number: BNO808) powered by Standard Chartered in partnership with PCCW, HKT and Trip.com. Launched in September 2020, Mox is reimagining banking, unlock more of life’s possibilities, and setting global benchmarks for digital banking from Hong Kong.

Mox is well on track to be the number one digital bank for cards, lending and wealth. In 2026, it was awarded as Best Pure-Play Digital Bank for CX in Hong Kong and Outstanding Digital CX in Banking App/ Platform by The Digital Banker Digital CX Awards. It was also recognised as NeoBank of the Year, Retail Banking, Hong Kong and Best Retail Banking Experience, Hong Kong by The Asset Triple A Digital Finance Awards. In 2025, Mox is ranked as the number one digital bank in Hong Kong in Neobank Ranking 2025 by The Banker, a publication by Financial Times. It was also awarded the Best Digital Bank in Hong Kong by The Asian Banker for three consecutive years, and the Digital Bank of the Year in Hong Kong by Asian Banking & Finance for two years in a row. It was also recognised as one of Asia’s Top 5 mobile banking app and the number one Hong Kong digital banking app in Sia Partners’ 2025 International Mobile Banking Benchmark. Mox Credit Card held its position as the seventh-largest credit card portfolio among all retail banks in Hong Kong[2]. Through a scalable platform, lower cost-to-serve, top-notch customer experience and the unique promise of safe, simple, smart, and fun banking, Mox has found immense affinity among Hong Kong customers: Mox app is the top-rated Hong Kong digital banking app in Apple App Store in Hong Kong[3], scoring 4.8 out of 5. Mox’s influence extends beyond Hong Kong, as shown by the company’s technology and know-how being transferred to Trust Bank in Singapore.

Join us in shaping the future of banking.

Follow Mox on mox.com, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn and YouTube for our latest updates.

[1] The “Wealth Behaviours: Insights into how individuals are saving and investing” study was conducted in collaboration with Ipsos and it surveyed 2,500 working adults with a monthly household income above HKD15,000 in Hong Kong between August 2025 and April 2026.

[2] According to TransUnion’s Market Insights and Intelligence Dashboard (MIID) for the period from January to December 2025.

[3] As of the period from 28 January 2025 to 5 May 2026.

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SOURCE Mox Bank Limited

Technology

UK Students Recognised in National AI Investment Challenge

Published

1 hour ago

May 6, 2026

University teams apply AI to real-world investment problems, with Lancaster University team taking the top prize.

LONDON, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, has announced the winner of its inaugural AI Investment Challenge, with the top prize awarded to a student team from Lancaster University.

Some 28 teams from 15 universities took part in the competition.

Delivered by CFA Institute and CFA Society UK, the competition brought together students from universities across the United Kingdom to tackle real investment challenges using artificial intelligence. The focus was on practical application, responsible use, and real-world relevance.

Finalists came from Durham University, Heriot-Watt University, Lancaster University, University of Exeter, and University of Manchester.

Teams presented AI-powered solutions to a range of industry challenges, from assessing how carbon pricing affects portfolio values to analysing large volumes of company disclosures and extracting insights from company earnings calls. The winning team from Lancaster University impressed judges with its design of a Disclosure Degradation Detection System – an early-alert tool for analysts that monitors upstream exposure to disclosure risk by analysing company and supplier filings for increasingly vague, complex, or weakening language.

Peter Watkins, Head of University Relations, CFA Institute, said:

“It’s encouraging to see how quickly students can apply technical skills to real investment problems. The strongest teams combined solid analysis with a clear understanding of how AI can be used responsibly in practice. This reflects where the investment industry is heading, with professionals expected to use new technologies effectively while continuing to apply sound human judgement.”

Nick Bartlett, CFA, ASIP, Chief Executive, CFA Society UK, adds:

“It’s been great to see students from across the UK take part. Opportunities like this help people build practical skills, make connections in the industry, and gain confidence in applying what they’ve learned. Bridging that gap between education and industry is increasingly important, as the skills needed for a career in the investment profession continue to evolve.”

The winning team members from Lancaster University are Connor O’Keeffe, Ebro Dossajee, and Bradley McCann.

Connor O’Keeffe, speaking on behalf of the winning team, said:

“The CFA Institute AI Investment Challenge gave us the chance to work on a real investment problem and engage directly with industry professionals. Presenting our work and receiving feedback has been invaluable, and we’re proud to bring first place back to Lancaster. It’s been a great experience for the whole team.”

Steve Young, Professor of Accounting at Lancaster University Management School, commented:

“The AI Investment Challenge is a fabulous initiative from CFA Institute that helps students formulate and execute artificial intelligence solutions to assist investment analysis professionals, and we are thrilled that Brad, Connor, and Ebro have been able to make such a positive contribution to the competition. Congratulations to all teams involved and thank you to CFA Institute and CFA Society UK for organising such an inspiring event.”

The competition was judged on practical relevance, quality of analysis, innovation in the use of AI, responsible use of technology, and clarity of presentation. The final was judged by a panel of six investment industry professionals based in the UK.

University representatives and students can opt-in to be the first to hear about future AI Investment Challenge events via Information Waitlist.

Notes to Editors

The AI Investment Challenge was held on Thursday 30 April 2026 in London.

First, second, and third-place teams received prizes of £2,000, £1,200, and £800, respectively. In addition, all finalist team members received a CFA Program Access Scholarship and the opportunity to showcase their work on CFA Institute platforms.

More information about the AI Investment Challenge is available here: CFA Institute AI Investment Challenge.

About CFA Institute
As the global association of investment professionals, CFA Institute sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. We champion ethical behavior in investment markets and serve as the leading source of learning and research for the investment industry. We believe in fostering an environment where investors’ interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. With more than 200,000 charterholders worldwide across 160 markets, CFA Institute has 8 offices and 157 local societies. Find us at www.cfainstitute.org or follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe on YouTube.

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